Market Pulse
US close: Stocks mixed amid earnings avalanche, disappointing durable goods
US stocks finished mixed on Thursday, having surged in morning trading after a number of well-received tech results.
Commodities: Gold lower on the day after initial Fed-fuelled rally
Gold rallied overnight after the release of the Fed’s policy statement, initially continuing into the London session on Thursday, with oil prices also retaining their relative strength.
FX round-up: No change at the Fed adds to dollar weakness
The release of the FOMC statement overnight saw a rise in cable on Thursday, although the Fed brought little in the way of surprise with regards to their stance on key interest rates, which were left unchanged at 1. 25%.
London close: FTSE weighed down by AstraZeneca, pound weakens
London stocks ended the day lower on Thursday as investors plodded through a massive but mixed salvo of company results, while the pound fell against the dollar during UK trading.
Barrick begins talks with Tanzania over Acacia Mining
Acacia Mining's Canadian parent company Barrick Gold Corporation has confirmed that it has begun talks with the Tanzanian government over its five-month-long dispute.
Bonmarche sales underpinned by solid online performance
Women's value clothing retailer Bonmarche reported a jump in sales for the 13 weeks to 1 July as a solid online performance lent a hand.
Twitter tanks after reporting stagnant user growth
Social media group Twitter fell almost 12% in early trading on Wall Street after reporting flat user growth in the company’s second-quarter earnings report.
Friday preview: Pivotal results for Barclays, questions for IAG
Friday sees only a slight relenting in the torrent of corporate results, though Barclays, BT and IAG provide some heavyweight action, while there will be data on UK consumer confidence and US GDP.
FTSE 250 movers: Indivior surges but Vesuvius hit by cautious outlook
London's FTSE 250 was up 0. 7% to 19,896. 62 in afternoon trade as investors waded through an avalanche of earnings.
Surgical Innovations acquiring Elemental Healthcare in £9.4m deal
Medical technology designer and manufacturer Surgical Innovations Group is planning to acquire specialist medical products distributor Elemental Healthcare, it announced on Thursday, in a deal worth £7. 5m in cash and £1. 875m in consideration shares.
US open: Facebook and Verizon push stocks higher after earnings
Well-received earnings from the likes of Facebook and Verizon helped to push US stocks higher at the open on Thursday.
Ruling against Ofcom welcomed by CityFibre
CityFibre said it was “pleased” with a ruling from the Competition Appeal Tribunal this week, which found unanimously against Ofcom’s market definition rules in the regulator’s 2016 Business Connectivity Market Review (BCMR).
Gama Aviation adds Gulfstream G550 to Hong Kong venture
Gama Aviation’s Hong Kong-based joint venture with CK Hutchison, Gama Aviation Hutchison Hong Kong, has added a Gulfstream G550 business jet to its fleet, it announced on Thursday.
FTSE 100 movers: Diageo gains on results, AstraZeneca hit by failed drug trial
London's FTSE 100 index was down 0. 1% to 7,442. 10 in afternoon trade as earnings reports came in thick and fast.
Improved upstream performance, asset disposals boost profits at Shell
A better performance at its upstream division, together with continued asset disposals, buoyed Royal Dutch Shell's bottom line during the second quarter of 2017.
CMC Markets hits seven month high thanks to 'premium' focus
CMC Markets reported higher revenues for the first quarter of its financial year as a 1% drop in active spread-betting and CFD client numbers was offset by a 9% increase in revenue per client.
US initial jobless claims rise more than expected
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, according to data from the Labor Department.
Artificial intelligence 'Albert' to tackle marketing challenges down under
Albert Technologies has entered a strategic partnership with an unnamed “leading business services group”, it announced on Thursday, in a bid to make its artificial intelligence-based marketing platform ‘Albert’ available in the Australia and New Zealand markets.
Citi stays at 'sell' on Fresnillo ahead of 1H numbers
Analysts at Citi stuck by their 'sell' recommendation on Fresnillo stock, pointing to the shares' "expensive" valuation and inability to boost cash returns beyond the "normal" payout.
Intu Properties net rental income fall but seen levelling off
Intu Properties, the shopping centre owner, maintained its first-half dividend as it reported a flat net asset value and a fall in net rental income.